The invention relates to a record player having a frame on which a turntable is mounted for rotation and in which a pick-up arm spindle is journalled, which spindle is rigidly connected to a pick-up arm and to a pick-up arm lever, the frame also carrying a control member by which the pick-up arm can be controlled in a first direction of movement about the axis of the spindle away from the turntable and in a second direction of movement about the axis of the spindle towards the turntable, and which for this purpose is connected to a rod which co-operates with a control element. The control element comprises a coupling portion which, at least for controlling the pick-up arm in the second direction of movement, is engageable with a coupling portion of the pick-up arm lever.
A record player of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,499. In this known record player the control element is rotatable about the pick-up arm spindle under the influence of a control spring which is connected to the control element, by which rotation the pick-up arm is movable in the second direction from a rest position towards the turntable. If the pick-up arm of this known record player is moved in the first direction towards the rest position under the influence of the control member, the control spring of the control element is tensioned again. In order to prevent the pick-up arm, after having reached the rest position, from being moved again in the second direction, a locking mechanism ensures that the control element cannot rotate after the control spring has been tensioned. In order to enable the control element to be locked, some clearance is necessary between a catch provided on the control element and the locking mechanism.
After the pick-up arm has been returned to an end position through a movement in the first direction, the control element, after being locked, and thus the pick-up arm are slightly pivoted back under the influence of the control spring. Thus the pick-up arm is moved to the rest position with a detour, which results in loss of time and an unsteady movement of the pick-up arm. Further as a result of inaccurate adjustment or wear it is possible that the control element will not be locked correctly after tensioning of the control spring, so that the pick-up arm is again moved in the second direction from the rest position towards the turntable, which is undesirable.